Moving Forward

One week in the hospital. Allen sat in a chair by Kate’s bedside. He had to finally tell her parents that she was recovering from a mental breakdown. So that Saturday morning early, Kate’s parents Frank and Shelby visited.

Frank was annoying as ever, “Maybe if you’d spend better use of your time caring for our daughter she wouldn’t be here,” he scolded Allen.

Allen held his peace at the request of his wife. Shelby touched Kate’s hand, “Frank just hush, how are you, Kate?”

“I’m getting there. I’ll be leaving in a few days as long as I don’t have another episode.”

“Episode?”

“Yeah, Kate’s been reliving some trauma which causes her to break down in violent fits. It’s been rough.”

Frank scoffed, “Nothing a lil prayer won’t fix. That’s the problem. You’ve taken our daughter away from the church. If she was still in the word and worshipping God, none of this would have happened.”

Allen nodded, “So, I suppose when she was going to church and worshipping that should have kept her from getting sexually abused.”

Frank stared at him angrily. Shelby turned to Allen, “What are you talking about? Kate was never abused. She never said anything to me about it. Is this true Kate?”

“It’s foolishness,” replied Frank, “Pure ridiculousness.”

“Is it, Frank?” he asked accusingly.

Shelby was confused, “Why are you directing your anger towards Frank?”

“Because he’s a no-good gigolo out for what our family has. The land, the money all of it.”

“You’re full of shit. I bought the house that Kate and I live in. Kate hasn’t had to work in five years.”

Frank sucked his teeth.

“Tell your wife how you knew of Kate’s love for April and fixed her to remove the demon of homosexuality from her.”

Shelby grabbed frank’s arm, “What is Allen talking about?”

“I don’t have to stand here and listen to this. It’s crazy. It’s foolish. Kate is not one of those…people. There’s no way one of my kids would be like that.”

“But I am, dad. I am. I’ve always known that I liked girls more than boys. You told me that what you did to me would fix me and it didn’t. I have loved a woman for nearly 20 years and have been afraid to live my truth.”

“It’s not true. Stop saying that.”

Shelby had a look of sheer disgust on her face as she realized what occurred without her knowledge. “You, you, you violated our daughter? You took from her, her innocence? You did that?”

Frank had repressed the memory of what he had done. He couldn’t answer…it was so long ago. As far as he was concerned it didn’t happen. None of what was happening was true, “You put Kate up to this…you want to take control of her finances…have her declared incompetent. You’re driving our daughter to the pits of hell—”

“Shut the fuck up Frank!” said Shelby as she shook, “Kate would never lie about something so serious. I’ve always passed your homophobic comments off as harmless, but you have stressed our child out for too long…too damn long.”

“Just like that, you’re taking her word over mine?”

“I’m accepting that you’re not the man I thought you were. I’m done subjecting my peace to you. Go home Frank, just get out of here. If you can’t even admit what you did…just go.”

Frank left.

Allen had left the facility. He wanted to give Kate time with her mother. He couldn’t believe how Frank denied what he had done. He hit the steering wheel. As he drove there was a woman on air telling a wild story of how she had twins by two different men. It was insane, yet it was something that kept his mind off of what he and his wife were experiencing.

As he pulled up to his house, he noticed a moving company removing things from Bree’s house. He parked and hurried over to one of the men, “Hey what’s going on?”

The man was dressed in baggy cargo and a t-shirt, “Um, we were contracted to move the stuff. That’s all I know.” The man walked off. Allen got in his car and drove to Nicole’s house.

He hurried to the door and knocked. When it opened, he was greeted with coldness as expected. Yet he flashed a smile, “Hi Nikki.”

“Steve is not home.”

“I know. I came to see you.”

She made face, “Look, don’t think just because we fucked a few times, we cool. You messed up when you fucked over my girl.”

“I didn’t fuck over her, look can we talk inside?”

She rolled her eyes and let him in, “What?”

He sighed, “I saw people moving stuff out of Bree’s house.”

“Okay.”

He sucked his teeth, “Come on.”

“What did you expect, Allen. For Bree to happily live next door to the two people that put her through shit.”

“No one **** Bree to be with me.”

“No. You’re right, but you did give her hope. You allowed her to dream. You let her love you.”

“And what was I supposed to do? How does a person turn down love? I loved her too and I had hope for us too. But my wife needed me.”

“So, what now, has she stopped needing you?”

He shook his head. “Listen, I said some messed up shit to her and for that I’m sorry. I was trying to make it easier for her to move on. And it was a lot of shit I had to deal with.”

“You could have talked to her. She would have understood.”

“Yeah, I suppose.” He looked around her living room and saw a suitcase, “Are you going somewhere?”

She nodded, “To Tampa to see Bree. She needs me.”

“What happened?”

“Allen,” she huffed, “You need to focus on your wife. Bree is no longer your concern. Just let it be.”

“Nikki, come on.”

“Bree’s mother isn’t well. She’s been in the hospital for about a week. It’s not looking good. I’m going there to help her get through this dark time. So, like I said, focus on Kate. Don’t worry about Bree.”

He nodded and left. His mind flashed to the night they argued. He got in his car a grunted and yelled, “Fuck!” before pulling off. He drove to the lake park. He sat out on the dock and stared out at the water. It was one of their favorite spots to walk, talk, to capture pictures.

He heard the sound of her voice, “We make life complicated. It could be simple if we just did the things, we knew we should or wanted to do.” He fought back tears, what if he had met her years earlier…maybe she would have been too young. What if Kate had told him, “No,” when he proposed and lived her truth. Would he have had a chance to meet Bree under different circumstances, would it have worked? Too many what-ifs and not enough certainty.

He sighed. No matter what, his place was with his wife. That’s what he vowed to do. He wouldn’t leave her during her darkest time.

Allen arrived back at the facility late. Kate was sitting up reading a book, “How is she?”

“Who?”

“Oh, come on Allen, I know you went to see her. I swear, I’m here fighting for my mental health and you can’t wait to use that as an excuse to run out and—”

“Stop. Just stop it. Do you think that lowly of me?”

She placed her book on the side, “I haven’t been available to you. I just— I’m sorry.”

“Please stop accusing me of things I’m not doing. The fact that I’m here should speak volumes.”

She swallowed and nodded. He was right. She knew it. Allen had not been the one cheating for years. She was. “Again. I’m sorry. I know that you had to care for her in some way. It couldn’t have been just sex.”

“It’s not important right now. We just have to focus on getting you better.”

She nodded. Allen was there. Another man perhaps would have left a long time ago. He had heard her deepest darkest secrets. The ugliest parts. He was still there. “Thank you, Allen.”

He walked over to her and hugged her, “It’s okay.”

***

Tampa, Florida. The hospital was a place of growing tension. Especially in the room where Bree’s mother lay. Nothing but machines keeping her alive. Bree paced back and forth.

Sam stood next to the doctor and the nurse. Marcel and Jorian stood near Bree. Sam spoke, “We have to think realistically here. It’s not likely she’s going to come back from this.”

Bree turned to him with great anger, “Shut up. This is your fault.” Marcel rubbed her shoulders, “It’s okay babe.”

“No, it’s not okay.” She walked over to her mom. All the mean things she said flashed in her mind and she cried, “I’m sorry mom. I’m sorry mama, please don’t leave me. Dad already left. I can’t. I’m so sorry. You didn’t deserve any of this. You deserved to be happy. You deserved better. Not this.” She sobbed loudly.

Jorian and Marcel hugged her.

Sam truly felt bad, but there was nothing he could do. He couldn’t change what had happened. He could only deal with the present. “I have to make the decision. I held off to see—”

“Just do whatever you want. That’s what you’ve always done.” She walked out of the room, and Marcel and Jorian followed her.

After an hour went by, Bree and Jorian got the word their mother was gone and arrangements were being made. Bree tried to be strong for her brother, but he ended up consoling her in the bedroom he used at Marcel’s house.

Nicole had arrived later that day. He hugged her and showed her to the room where Bree was. Immediately she went over to her friend and they embraced and sobbed together.

“I have to be the worst daughter ever. I should have left her here with him.”

Nicole held her by the shoulders, “Don’t blame yourself. Standing up for yourself is not wrong. You did nothing wrong. I loved auntie, but she was wrong. She should have let you live your life. Just like she chose to live hers.”

Bree wiped her eyes, “My parents are gone. I’m not even 31 yet. How the fuck—”

“Come on sis, breathe…inhale…exhale…inhale…exhale…you’re going to get through this. You got me, Jorian needs you, Marcel is here.”

She took a deep breath, “The universe is kicking my ass right now.”

“It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last. I’m here. Cry. Vent. We can do grief counseling. But don’t ever blame yourself.”

Bree nodded, “This isn’t my fault. It’s not even his. I’m just looking for someone to be mad at. He’s about to be a dad again. I saw his pregnant girlfriend sitting in his car one day. She had to be younger than me.”

“He sucks. Let’s not waste any energy on him. You have to figure out your next steps…are you coming back to ****, bringing Jorian?’

Bree shook her head, “I can’t take him away from school when it’s his senior year. That would be awful.”

Nicole’s eyes watered, “Shit. I finally moved to be closer to you and now you’re here. Universe, fuck you.”

Bree chuckled, “It’s only for a year or until I get Jorian into college.”

“What about the house?”

“I don’t know. I have a company that will list it as a rental. Then…I don’t know.”

“How are things here with Marcel?”

“They’re cool. He’s been sweet.” Her cellphone sounded. It was Sam sending details about the funeral. Bree sighed, “It’s almost like he couldn’t wait to get rid of her. I swear it has taken everything in me not to punch his face in.”

“We can jump him in the parking lot,” Nicole joked.

“Would be hella funny.”

The dreaded day to lay her mother to rest had come and gone. Many tears were shed by those that loved and adored her. There were still family members that refused to attend because of how she began her relationship with Sam by cheating on her former husband. Nevertheless, Bree and Jorian had to figure out a path forward.

Jorian had a considerable amount of anger in his heart for his father. Bree tried to talk to him. She told him that it wasn’t good to harbor hate. It would only fester inside and make it hard for him to love and trust others or make it harder for him to allow others to love him. That at some point, he would have to let it go and be at peace with it.

He promised that he would consider it. Jorian did get his car back from his father and the insurance money that was left to him. Bree also received money and some jewelry her mother had left behind.

August was approaching, which meant the start of high school for Jorian. Marcel insisted they stay with him despite his mother telling him it was a crazy idea. He didn’t care. He wanted Bree close so he could make sure she was okay.

Bree decided to visit a firm in the private sector she worked for before moving to North Carolina. As soon as she stepped into the office, a man in his early forties looked up and smiled, “Breonna Jacobs is that you?”

She nodded, “It’s me, Paul, how are you,” she asked as she walked over to his desk. He stood up and greeted her with a hug.

“It’s so good to see you. What are you doing here? Just visiting or—”

“Well, my mom passed away.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

“Yeah. It’s been crazy. It seems that I’m back for a time. I didn’t know if y’all had anything.

His eyes lit up, “Your old job has been filled.”

“Oh.”

“But…the supervisor position is opening in a few weeks. If you’re interested.”

“Heck yeah. I’d love that,” she hugged him.

“No, no, thank you. It’s great to have you back. You were practically doing that job anyway before you left. Go see Gretchen in HR, get your paperwork started,”

She nodded and left.

After all the paperwork was done, Bree went shopping for a few dress pants and blouses, and then she headed back to Marcel’s. He was at home with his mother talking Bree spoke, “Hello,” she waved.

Marcel’s mother was light-skinned with long wavy jet-black hair. She still looked young and dressed nicely. She nodded at Bree and finally said something nice to her, “I’m sorry to hear about your mom. If you need anything let me know.”

Bree’s eyebrows lifted, “Sure thank you,” she replied as she headed to her room.

Marcel had expressed to his mother how much he still cared for Bree and that he planned to have a child with her. His mother was in love with the idea of another grandchild. She figured she’d better start trying to get along so she could get as much grandma time as she could with the potential new child.

After his mother left, Marcel wanted to take a shower and hopefully get Bree out for dinner. As he headed to his room, he heard noises coming from Jorian’s room. Earlier, Jorian had arrived home with his friend Tyra this pretty cherubic-faced young woman.

Inside the room, Jorian was exploring the voluptuous curves of his new girlfriend. It was only their second time having sex. Jorian was in love with the act. Especially with a person he had so much in common with.

Outside the door, Marcel grinned. He remembered his first time with Bree. They had cut school and went to his house. His parents were still at work. How Bree and he talked about when they would start dating and having sex then suddenly, they were engaged in the act.

He went to Bree’s room and knocked, “Come in,” her voice sounded. He stepped in and saw her lying across the bed in a pair of shorts and a tank. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail.

She saw his smile, “What’s up?” she asked.

He pointed with his thumb behind him, “Um, have you had the talk with Jorian?”

Bree gave him the side-eye, “You mean, the talk.”

“Yeah. I mean, it might be too late because. I mean. You know.”

“Oh god, I’m not ready for any of this. I was hoping he’d wait until he was older.”

“What. He’s older than we were when we started.”

She chuckled, “Yeah, true.”

They were sixteen. That day they left school early, went got tacos, then ended up in his bedroom as they talked about when they planned to do it. Marcel commented, “It’s more pressure for the guy. I’ll be expected to know how to do it well and I don’t know. Women, you get to lay there.”

Bree laughed, “I don’t think the woman that are good at it, just lay there. My girlfriends that have had sex, say they throw it back.”

“Throw it back?”

“You know like when you’re behind and the girl pushes her coochie back on your thingy.”

He laughed, “Oh okay. See, I didn’t know that. There’s like other positions and stuff.”

“We should like…practice with each other. You know to prepare.”

Marcel’s tongue nearly dropped from his mouth, “Seriously?”

“Unless you don’t want to.”

“No, yeah, I mean of course. I want to.”

Bree stood up; her hair was a lot longer then. She wore it in a long single braid with her baby hairs all around the perimeter. He watched as she undressed before him. Even then she had an amazing body. At sixteen she was already in a D cup; her waist was tiny and she had a pretty bubble of an ass.

“Your turn,” she said as she stood naked. He hurried out of his clothes and she smiled when she saw that he had a nice package that was standing at attention. He walked over to her and looked down into her eyes. He was so nervous; he gave her a peck on the mouth. They looked at each other. He saw her perky bosom, “May I?” he asked before suckling her nipples. She got excited and let out a soft moan. He stopped, “It’s okay?”

She smiled, “Yeah, it feels good, keep going unless I say stop.”

He nodded and guided her to the bed. He surveyed her opening before laying on top, “Let me know if it hurts.”

She nodded. He pushed the tip in and she grunted softly. He stopped, he pushed a little more and felt the warmness and the tightness of her sweet cunt wrapped around his cock.

His forehead developed beads of sweat with each uncoordinated thrust, some were fast, some were slow and then he’d stop to kiss her mouth. She moved her hips when she got used to his pressure and began cooing. He finally found a nice rhythm stroking at an even tempo. He knew he didn’t have long, but he wished he could be inside of her all night. It was much better than stroking his cock with his hand in the shower.

He cussed, “Fuck.”

She giggled, “You okay?”

“Yeah, shit, you have no idea.” He continued to stroke and moved faster. He pulled out his cock and dripped cum onto her belly still breathing heavy, “Sorry, I didn’t know if you were on the pill.”

“It’s okay. I can clean off.”

“We have to hurry before my mom gets home.”

Bree nudged Marcel’s leg as he sat next to her reminiscing about their first time. After that day, they practiced several times a week using condoms until Bree got on birth control.

“Those were the times.”

“Yeah,” he responded. “Fun times.”

“They were,” she smiled.

“Let me take you out to dinner.”

She nodded, “Sounds good.”